CLINTON, N.J., June 25, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- June 25th launches year six of the `GreenTeam,' a regional six-week high school summer conservation program managed by the Student Conservation Association (SCA) in partnership with the Hunterdon County Department of Parks and Recreation and the ExxonMobil Foundation. The program is designed to provide Hunterdon County-area high school students with hands-on experience, gaining leadership opportunities and team-building skills to promote conservation and the enhancement of Northern New Jersey's natural resources.
Comprised of twenty high school students from Hunterdon County High Schools, GreenTeam members receive a monetary stipend for their community service on conservation crews in local parks and trails, with the added benefit of gaining experience in environmental education, job skills and career development. To participate in the GreenTeam, students are recommended by school teachers and counselors, while many express a strong interest in the environment and community service.
The GreenTeam will be in action throughout Hunterdon County, with students split into two teams of ten for intensive projects including, but not limited to trail construction, re-vegetation and watershed restoration at Point Mountain and other area parks within the Hunterdon County Park system. The six-week program also includes an educational component in which students study ecosystems, conservation principles and environmental awareness. As Emil Jacobs, ExxonMobil's Vice President of Research and Development explains: "We believe that education is key to unlocking the full potential of the communities in which we operate. The strength of our Green Team program is the focus on young adults and the development of their leadership skills and commitment to improving the environment."
GreenTeam high school summer conservation crews runs from June 25th through August 1st.
2007 marks the 12th year of ExxonMobil's national partnership with SCA and sixth year of the Green Team in Northern New Jersey. ExxonMobil's Annandale (NJ) research facility has a dedicated staff of nearly 1,000 industry professionals leading the way in research and development of progressive energy and petrochemical products and processes. Information about ExxonMobil can be found at http://www.exxonmobil.com.
The nation's largest provider of year-round environmental conservation service opportunities, outdoor education and leadership training for youth and young adults since 1957, SCA volunteers annually commit nearly 2 million combined hours of service in close to 500 national parks, forests, refuges and urban green spaces throughout all 50 states. Additional information about SCA is available through http://www.thesca.org.
Editors: Contact SCA Media Relations Coordinator Brandon Frazier at 703-524-2441 or bfrazier@thesca.org to arrange site visits to conservation service projects, photo opportunities and/or student interviews.
The Student Conservation Association logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3693